Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

VOC emissions chambers

VOC emissions chambers

In order to support the development of test methods and reference materials for volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions from building materials and furnishings, EL maintains a number of environmental chambers for measuring these emissions.

Specifications/Capabilities

Three different types of chambers are used for VOC emissions testing. The smallest, referred to as microchambers, allow relatively fast emissions measurements and have two volumes, 44 mL and 114 mL. These chambers can be operated at temperatures up to 120 °C for the smaller volumes and 250 °C for the larger, which can be used to accelerate the emissions process for some compounds. Two mid-size chambers, with volumes of 53 L, are used to test small samples of building materials under tightly controlled temperature, humidity and airflow conditions. A room size chamber is also available for testing emissions from full-size pieces of furniture.

Usage Information

Access Information

These chambers may be available for use by those outside NIST, but they must be operated by EL staff. Collaborative programs may be arranged on a cost reimbursable basis.

Created May 23, 2014, Updated June 24, 2024